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ALLURE: Your character, Angela Vaughn, has a hair-care business called Eve’s Crown.
Thais Aquino
YAYA DACOSTA:Oh, yeah.
Certain people knew how to do hair; I would do it out of my dorm room.
I always had my own hair done, and it was very expressive.
Thais Aquino
Hair is definitely something that I’ve loved my whole life.
As I got older and started acting, I started working withChioma Valcourt.
I always go to her to prepare me for my roles.
Thais Aquino
It is one of the things that attracted me to the role.
It’s personal, and it’s a lot more than hot right now."
Unfortunately, in the past, [those choices] had consequences.
Thais Aquino
Girls have beenkicked out of schoolfor braidsor locs; women have been passed up for corporate jobs.
There are gradations; it’s been a journey.
In the show, you guys start there; simple hair-care recipes that your family taught you.
Do you have any personal history with that?
YD:I grew up with my mother doing those kinds of conditioners with mayonnaise.
I curled my hair with paper bag strips.
That is definitely one of those things that I will pass down.
These are things that are lying around that make you feel resourceful.
There’s no need to buy curlers when we have these things that work.
She talks about when her mother used to curl her hair like that.
It’s really sweet to have those generational tips, tricks, and memories.
ALLURE: I’ve seen a few other actressestalk about having to do their own glam.
Have you had to deal with that over the years?
YD:Chioma’s in New York and I was working all over the country and the world.
I would have her make a piece and take it with me.
I would give everyone the benefit of the doubt.
You’re dealing with something very delicate because people take their art seriously.
But we could stand tocollaboratebecause I have experience with this particular skin because it’s on my body.
At the same time, you have to protect your image.
That’s been the norm, and sometimes it doesn’t evenmatterwhat the person looks like.
There’s plenty of Black hair stylists that don’t do natural hair.
They do wigs, they do straight hair.
How do you foresee Angela settling into that in the show?
YD:I’ll give you a little spoiler that’s in a future episode.
I am not into shaming or any choice.
People, convert, do thebig chop, and then become fundamentalists; “Oh my gosh.
Can you believe that she’s put a hot comb to her hair?
Can you believe that she dyed her hair?
They’re not that natural anymore well because there are chemicals in hair dye.”
Well, guess what honey?
She’s not doing it to your head.
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